Coffer-dam



(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets- -Sneet 1. A. KIRK.

'GOFFBR DAM.

No. 385,358. Patented July 3, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-Sheet 2.

- A. KIRK- COPPER DAM. No. 385,358. Patented July 3, 1888.

UNITE STATES PATENT Urrron.

ARTHUR KIRK, OF SHARPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

,COFFER-DAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 385,358, dated July 3,1888.

Application filed July 2, 1883. Serial No. 99,739. (No model.)

.To 0. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR KIRK, of Sharpsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Sectional Dams; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

As heretofore constructed cotter-dams have been made by driving rows oftimbers into the bottom of the stream and securing them in place by longbolts at the top and bottom, and then nailing planking to the timbersand filling the space between the rows with earth, which frequently hasto be conveyed from a great distance. With such dams thebreaking of abolt often causes the whole structure to give way and is productive ofgreat damage. This method of construction is slow and expensive, and thedams thus made are not only not reliable, but are expensive to remove,and in cases where the removal has not been successfully accomplishedmay constitute a dangerous obstacle to the navigation of the stream.

Itis the purpose of my invention to obviate these objections byconstructing a movable and easily managed and controlled coffer-dam, theuse of which is not limited to a single instance, but may be repeated anumber of times,

a as the structure is not exposed to greater dam age than results fromordinary wear and tear by reason of its transfer from place to place.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which-Figure 1 is a side view of my improvement when not in use. Fig. 2 is asimilar view illustrating its position when in use. Fig. 3 is a planview of two sections of my improved dam. Fig. 4 is an edge view, partlyin section, on the line a; as of Fig. 3. Fig. Bis asectional view of aportion of my improvement. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modification. Fig.7 is a view of a device for stretching a web of canvas out from the edgeof the dam.

Like figures of reference indicate like parts.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, I construct a water tight ponton or flatbuoyant vessel,1, which is provided with a valve, 2, in its bottom,closing an opening, 3, by means of which water may be given access tothe water-tight interior. The valve 2 is operated by a stem, 4, andlever 5, through the medium of a rod connected thereto and extending tothe deck of the ponton or vessel. Extending from the bottom of theinterior of the vessel 1 is a pipe, 6, which reaches to any desiredheight, and is for the purpose of pumping Water out of theinterior ofthe vessel. An'air-pipe, 7,

extends from the top of the interior, and is for the purpose ofadmitting the air into the vessel, to take the place of the water whenthe latter is pumped out through the pipe 6. Hinged to one side of thevessel 1 is a platform, 8, composed of boards built upon each other andbolted together in any suitable or desired way and supported upontimbers or beams 9. -The hinges 10, which connect the part 8 to part 1,are bolted to the timbers 9. The outer end of the platform 8 is madethicker than the inner end by adding to the top thereof additionalcourses or shorter boards, as shown at 11 and 12. On top of the platform8, near the outer end, is asheet-iron trough or tank, 13, and near theother end is a second trough or tank, 14. A pipe, 15, Fig. 1-, extendsfrom the inner edge or side of the platform 8 through the boards thatcompose the same, and opens into the tank 13, near the bottom, and asecond pipe, 16, extends through the same course and opens into the tank13, near the top.' The tank 14: is provided with similar pipes,17 and18. The pipes 15 and 17 are waterpipes, for the purpose of admittingwater to the tanks 13 and 1.4-, and the pipes 16 and 18 are for thepurpose of admitting air thereto. Hinged to the lower side of platform 8are braces or supports 19, Fig. 2, one or more in number, and connectedto them are ropes 20, which pass up through holes 21 in the beams 9, andthence extend to the inner edge or side of the platform 8. The inneredge or side of the platform Sis connected to the adjacent side of theponton 1 by means of a chain, 22, so as to limit its movement upon thehinges 10. The lower outer edge of the platform 8 is provided with afibrous or textile cushion or mat, 23, which is designed to act as apack ing when that portion of the platform comes against or is embeddedin'the bottom of the stream, as indicated in Fig. 2. Fastened along theprojecting outer side of the platform Sis a skirt, 2a, composed of asuitable web 6o inclined position by the braces 19.

of gum-cloth-orcanvas, to the outer edge of which cords 25, extendingacross the top of the platform 8 to cleats 26, Fig. 4, atits other side,are secured. Fastened to the cords 25 are pins 27, which are designed tobe placed in the sockets 28 on the upper side of the platform 8, Fig. 4,near its outer edge. Ex tending from the bottom of the sockets 28 to theunder side of the platform are holes 29,

:0 in which vertically-sliding bolts 30 are secured.

When the platform is going down into the position shown in Fig. 2, theheads of the bolts strike upon the bottom of the 'stream and the boltsare projected upward and force the pins 27 out of their sockets. Then,if the platform 8 ispointing up the stream, the by drostatic pressureand the force of the current will cause the skirt to beheld tightly downagainst the bottom and to make a tight joint along the submerged edge ofthe platat the submerged end of the platform 8 is rendered more tightand the percolation of water through it more effectually guarded againstby the presence of the mats 23 of fibrous material. A number of sectionssimi- 0 lar in'construction to those just described, and

illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, may be secured together, end to end, ifdesired, by ropes 32, or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purposeof constituting a coffer-dam of any desired 5 length greater than thatof one of the sections,

and for the purpose of centering these separate sections properlytogether and of sealing the joint between them more tightly I providethe adjoining edges with tenons and sockets 31, or

o other interlocking devices.

I make use ofmy improvement in the following way, to wit: The floatcomposed of the ponton 1 and platform 8, keeping the relative positionshown in Fig. 1, is brought to the de- 4 5 sired point where the dam isto be constructed.

Then water is introduced into the interior of the ponton 1 by openingthe valve 2, and the whole structure is thereby caused to sink to thebottom of the stream. Then water is admitted into the tank 13 by meansof the pipe 15, and the platform 8 is caused to assume an inclinedposition by reason of the excess of weight at its outer end. Thestandards or braces 19 (which, when the structure is in the positionshown in Fig. 1, lie horizontally between the timbers 9) drop into aninclined position, their lower ends resting upon the top of theponton 1. When the parts come to rest, the platform 8 is sustainedfirmly in an As the outer edge of the platform 8 strikes the bottom, thebolts 30 are forced up anddislodge the pins 27 from their sockets, so asto release the skirt 24-, and the cords 25 having been loosened (beforethe ponton was sunk) from the cleats 26, the skirt settles upon thebottom in the position shown in Fig. 2 and makes a tight joint betweenthe bottom of the stream and the dam.' Other sections of the dam arebrought into position with relation to the first section and sunk in asimilar manner untilthe entire structure is completed. Thejoint 32, Fig.3. between the different sections may be sealed tightly by covering itwith astrip of gumcloth or canvas laid on top of the platform andsecured in any desired manner. The greater the pressure of water uponsuch strip the tighter the joint between the sections will be sealed.

A Coffer-dam thus constructed is not only much more secure andimpervious to water than the old form mentioned, butit has the I furtheradvantages of being capable of transportation in complete form fromplace to place, of being quickly put into position, and of being takenout and used again. The outer part of the platform 8 is made thicker,because it is exposed to greater pressure of the water and to moresevereusage.

When it is desired to raise the sections of the dam, it is done in thefollowing manner: First, a sufficient quantity of water is pumped out ofthe ponton 1 through the pipe 6 to give it sufficient buoyancy to causeit to rise from the bottom. This causes the dam to rise at its rearside, while the outer side of the platform 8, being still heavilyweighted, clings to the bottom. Then the valve 2 is opened and the wateris permitted to rush suddenly into the interior of the ponton, whichcauses it to sink again slowly for the purpose of relieving the braces19 and permitting them to be drawn up by the ropes 20. Then I pump thewater out of the tank 13 by means of the pipe 15, replacing it with airby means of the pipe 16. Then I fill the tank 14 with water, so that theinner side of the platform shall be made heavy and the outersidebuoyant. This causes it to assume a horizontal position. Then I pump outthe ponton 1 through the pipe 6,

air flowing in through the pipe 7 to replace the water and to give therequisite buoyancy to the structure. This causes it to rise to thesurface of the Water, when it may be floated away to any desiredposition.

Instead of using the valve apparatus shown at 2, I can use that shown at33, Fig. 5, where a cylinder provided with a piston operated bycompressed air or other similar means is used for moving the valve.

I do not limit myself to any particular eonstruetion or arrangement ofthe scuttle-valves, but propose to use any form of valve which issuitable for the purpose.

In Fig. 6 I show the-use of the platform 8, with its parts, inconnection with piles 34, where for any reason the use of the ponton mayconveniently be avoided, or where the use of the dam is likely to be ofconsiderable duration. In this case the platform 8 is hinged tocross-timbers secured to the upper ends of thepiles, and it is tippedinto posi- ICO tion and raised out of the water in the manner beforedescribed with reference to Figs. 1 to 5.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of an air-tight ponton or float provided with asuitable scuttle-valve and with pipes for exhausting the water therefromand admitting it thereto, with the platform placed on top and hinged toone side of the same, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of an airtightfioat having means for admitting andexhausting water therefrom, with a platform placed upon and hingedthereto, and movable braces for sustaining the platform in an inclinedposition on the ponton, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of an air-tight float having means for admitting andexhausting water therefrom, witha platform placed upon and hingedthereto, pivoted braces for sustaining the platform in an inclinedposition, and means for withdrawing the said braces from theirsupporting position to permit the return of the platform to its normalposition, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. A tipping dam having a mat or cushion of fibrous material at itslower outer corner or edge, and a skirt of gum-cloth or similar materialsecured along its outer edge, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

5. A tipping-dam platform provided with a skirt attached by one edge toits outer side, in combination with movable pins placed in sockets inthe upper side of the platform, bolts projecting below the lower sidefor dislodging the pins, and cords fastened to the outer edge of theskirt, secured to the pins and extending to the inner side of theplatform, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. A tipping-dam platform pivot-ed at or near the middle to a suitableponton or base,

so that one edge shall project beyond'thesame with one edge projectingbeyond the side of the support,so as to be capable of being tippeddownward to constitute a dam, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of June,A. D. 1883.

ARTHUR KIRK.

Witnesses:

W. B. OoRwIN, T. B. KERR.

